Expats and locals have lost a total of around 45 million baht due to a Pattaya property fraud.

Property scams targeting expat buyers and renters are known to have taken place all over Southeast Asia, but this Pattaya example shows how easy it still is to get duped by crafty business owners. Local Thai police are now hunting down a former real estate agent who, it’s claimed, defrauded both Thais and expat property buyers and renters during a lucrative scam.

One Jidapha Sirikhong, owner of Pattaya-based Som Property, operated out of an office in an unnamed condo building just off the resort’s famous Jomtien Beach. As well as marketing and selling condominiums in the popular expat destination, she also rented out accomodation to long-stay expatriates as well as holidaymakers, acting as an agent for the property owners. Norwegian, Austrian, Australian and American clients looking to rent over a period of time were told their deposits would be passed on to the condo owners, who, unfortunately, haven’t seen their money and now never will.

Even more unfortunately, locals and expatriates who purchased condos from the agency by means of regular instalments were also caught up in the scam, as their money was never passed on to the legal owners of the properties. Pattaya’s acting police chief told local reporters Pattaya City police are hunting Sirikhong, apparently without success to date. More victims, including some living overseas, have posted their losses with local police, with totals of around 45 million baht seemingly missing.